THE EMPLOYER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 17

THE EMPLOYER

GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE NO "INVASION" OF HOMES ASSERTIONS- BY MR. SEMPLE [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday "We are not going to strangle the employers as a class, but we are going to take steps against the men who are not fit to employ labour," said the Minister of Public Works, Hon. R. Semple, during the second reading debate on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill in the House of Representatives to-night. Mr. Semple referred to mining disasters which had occurred in the past. Scores of men had lost their lives, he said, and they had been industrially murdered by employers who could think only of profits "The same type of employer is in this country to-day," said Mr. Semple, "and we are going to protect the workers from that type of individual. We have been told that under the bill trade union secretaries will be able to invade the homes of the people and that houswives will bo horrified at these inhuman monsters invading the sanctity of the family circle. The member for Stratford has told us that, with a quiver in his voice and an artificial tear dropping from his eye. • " I wonder if ho has ever protested against what has been called the means test, which was introduced by the party he supports? It was the greatest insult ever offered to this country and probed right into the private life of the relief worker. It assumed that every relief worker who was a victim of circumstances over which ho had no control was a professional perjurer and a liar." Mr. Semple said one case which he himself had dealt with concerned an inspector who had told a relief worker's wife to destroy a fox terrier and cauary because food for them would probably cost 2s 6d a week. If the pets were not destroyed her husband's relief pay would be docked by that amount. "The means test was one of the worst forms of home invasion," Mr. Semple added. "Under the present bill there is no intention of allowing trade union secretaries to invade the homes of the people." Mr. Semple said the conditions of eraplovmcnt in some factories and in some of the big shops and warehouses were not what they should be. Some employers had been paying girls 15s a week and compelling them to sign for 30s and 35s a week. Mr. W. J. Poison (Opposition—Stratford ): That is illegal now.